


If I Could Turn Back Time

by stormoftara



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Gen, It's not okay, Kyr will cry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-10-10 01:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10426482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormoftara/pseuds/stormoftara
Summary: Harley (Harlock) is living with Kyr after a disaster on the Shrouded Isles. She wants to know about her past, but Kyr doesn't want to tell her exactly what took her parents away from her.Based on an idea by mathes0n on tumblr.





	

Harley wandered into Kyr’s workshop, a grumpy expression on her face. She had to step over several large pieces of metal that littered the ground. Kyr was sitting at the table, tools scattered around him as he worked on some kind of invention.

“Uncle Kyr? Are you in the invent zone again?” Harley sighed.

“Hmm? Oh kiddo. Nah I'm just working on a job right now. Somebody needed a device to toast bread. I call it,” Kyr held the device in front of him dramatically, “A bread into toast maker.”

“Wow what a name.” Harley groaned.

Kyr gave a chuckle. “So did you need something? Help with your homework again?”

“No, I finished it already.” Harley hoisted herself up on a clear spot on the table. “Can you tell me another story about mom and dad?”

Kyr’s face fell for a moment before his usual smile returned, “Hmm, I think I told you most of them already. Did I tell you the about the time they went with Uncle Markus and Uncle Gregor to kill a Harpy?”

“No, I don't think I've heard that one.” Harley slumped over, propping her head up on one arm.

“It was a long time ago, before your parents were even dating…” Kyr went into the story, Harley listening attentively, even if her body language said otherwise. She wanted to know more about her parents, about her birth place on the Shrouded Isles, and about herself. Everything seemed to be tied up and packed away to her, and she didn't know where to start unwrapping. Kyr was her last connection to her parents, so Harley had him tell her stories. It was a start to unraveling the mystery.

“After Uncle Gregor got his new glaive, that was pretty much it. Nothing could stand in that things way, it was cursed!” Kyr chuckled. “I wasn't there of course, so I only heard about that adventure. Did I tell you about the time I fought a zombie?” 

“Yes Uncle Kyr,” Harley rolled her eyes. “Mom and dad weren't even there for that one.”

“Oh yeah, right. They were in the Ban village then. It's hard to keep all the stories straight now. We went on so many adventures.” Kyr put down the tool he was using and smiled.

“What about the last adventure you all went on?” Harley asked pointedly.

Kyr coughed loudly and frowned, looking away from Harley. “We’ll talk about that when you are older.”

“You always say that.” Harley pounded her fist on the table. “I want to know what happened to my parents, to our home.”

Kyr looked at Harley with sympathy, “Kiddo…”

“Ugh, whatever.” Harley jumped off the table and stomped out of the room.

…

Being woken up in the middle of the night was not something Harley especially enjoyed. Being in extreme pain and surrounded by fire even less so. Yet that was the situation she currently found herself in. 

Harley coughed as she crawled along the floor of her bedroom. She was on the floor for some reason her brain couldn't understand. Her mind was a haze as she attempted to escape, not really comprehending the severity of the situation. It wasn't until she realized that it was too hard to crawl, that her shoulder hurt too much, that she realized how bad it really was.

Her arm was missing. Harley began to panic. “Kyr, KYR!” She screamed, trying to escape from the inferno. Fire seemed to be encroaching from all sides. She could jump out the window, the fall wasn't too far. It was better than slowly burning to death.

She couldn't believe what was happening around her as she hoisted herself up with her one good arm onto the windowsill. What had happened? Was there an explosion? With a blink Harley suddenly realized that the wall near her bed had been completely destroyed. That was Kyr’s room. 

“KYR?” Harley shouted again. When he didn't respond, Harley continued with her window plan. She tried her best to balance herself as she opened the window. A cool gust of wind blew in. Trying to be brave, Harley fit herself through the window and jumped out. She felt strange as she fell, a feeling of peace. She had survived. That feeling didn't last long, for when she hit the ground, everything went black.

Harley didn't know how much time passed until she woke up again. Her body felt heavy and sore as she opened her eyes. She was in some sort of hospital room? It was tough to move, but she managed to push herself into a sitting position. Her arm was still gone. It hadn't been a dream.

Harley’s eyes were blurry, but she looked to the side and saw Kyr sitting next to her bed. He was asleep, slumped back in a chair. He didn't appear to be injured. “Kyr?” Harley mumbled out, her throat dry.

With a snap, Kyr’s eyes flew open and he jumped up. “Harley? You are awake!” Kyr smiled with tears in the corner of his eyes.

Kyr poured a cup of water, and helped Harley take a sip. The reality of the situation was settling into Harley’s stomach. She had just barely escaped death. “What happened?”

“I'm so sorry Harley.” Kyr looked down at his hands. “There was one of my old inventions in my room, a hair brush in fact, and it just exploded.” Kyr gulped, and took a moment before he continued. “I fell asleep in my workshop. I didn't realize what happened until it was too late. I thought, I was so scared that I had lost you.” Kyr wrapped his rugged hand around Harley’s remaining one.

For a moment Harley felt almost bad for Kyr, but then she felt an anger boiling in her stomach. She ripped her hand away from him. “How could you be so careless! You almost killed me! I lost an arm! Do you think just being sorry is going to fix all that?” Harley’s throat hurt as she yelled.

Kyr looked down at the ground, but then back up at Harley. His eyes were full of tears and it was clear he was doing all he could to stop himself from sobbing. “I'm so sorry. I'll make you a new arm, I'll…”

“I don't want your help!” Harley screamed, interrupting Kyr. “Haven't you done enough already?” She was so angry, she couldn't bite back her next words. “Just think of how disappointed my parents would be in you.”

Tears streamed down Kyr’s face. He kept opening his mouth to speak, but only sobbing noises came out. He stood up and without a word left the room. Harley regretted her words when she heard him sobbing behind the door, crying out, “I'm sorry Ashe. I'm sorry Thog. I'm such a failure…”

 

…

 

“I can help you with that.” Kyr said quietly as Harley worked on her prosthetic arm. Thankfully the workshop had not been destroyed in the fire.

“I don't want your help.” Harley said in an almost dead voice. 

“Just let me help make this right.” Kyr was trying really hard to help despite Harley’s anger with him.

“I'm leaving when I'm done with this.” Harley said, ignoring Kyr.

“What? You can't leave. You are only a kid.” Kyr stood closer to Harley putting a hand on her shoulder.

Harley wretched her shoulder away. “I'm not a kid. I'm seventeen. I need to find out the truth about my parents and you aren't going to tell me.”

“Listen, Harley.” Kyr gulped. “I don't know what happened to them. All I know is that they are gone. So are the whole Shrouded Isles. I don't know how we survived, but we did. You aren't going to find any answers out there.”

Harley looked up at Kyr, amazed he had finally said anything about the event that lead to her parents death. “You don't know that. I have to do this. I can't just sit around here anymore.”

“No one even remembers the Shrouded Isles anymore. It's like it never existed. There is really nothing out there.” Kyr paused before continuing, his voice rough, “I don't want you to leave. You are the only family I have left.” Kyr looked like he was tearing up again.

Guilt clenched at Harley’s stomach as she spoke, “I'm leaving anyway. I can't stay here anymore.” Harley gave Kyr a look that said more than words ever could. Kyr, speechless, just left Harley alone to work on her arm.

 

…

 

It took Harlock a year before she learned of someone who knew about the Shrouded Isles. In that year she shed her old name like a snake shedding it's skin. She became Harlock, the mercenary. A fearsome beast with no mercy, she was the perfect assassin. A fleeting thought crossed her mind, wondering if her parents would be proud.

Harlock found herself outside a bar in Kuravia. Apparently a witch was inside, a witch who knew about her birth place. Harlock pulled open the door and headed inside. 

The bar was quiet, there were very few patrons. In a corner sat a young woman with black hair, wearing mage clothes. Harlock assumed that was her woman, and headed over to the table, taking a seat across from her.

“So, what do you know about the Shrouded Isles?” Harlock asked in a hushed tone.

“I'm way more interested in how some random girl knows about it.” The witch spoke, her voice sarcastic. “It's not a place that exists anymore, so how do you know about it?”

Harlock crossed her arms, “I was born there.”

The witch looked at her, mouth agape. “Harley?”

Harlock blinked at hearing her old name once again. How did this witch know it? Unless...could this be? “Inien?”

“Wow. I didn't know you were still alive. Huh. Is Kyr still kicking around?” Inien became instantly more casual. It put Harlock on edge. She didn't really know Inien, she had only heard stories about her. 

“Please call me Harlock. And yeah, I'm sure he's still alive, but I don't really care.” Harlock looked away from Inien, a frown on her face.

“Ah, I guess he's to blame for your current condition.” Inien shrugged. “Well I guess I can help you then.”

“Help me how?”

“Well you see, this world without your parents is boring. I'm really tired of it already. What do you say we bring them back?” Inien grinned widely.

“Yeah, because you can bring the dead back to life.” Harlock rolled her eyes.

“No, but I've been mastering a strange new magic. It's complicated, but it's basically time travel.” Inien leaned on the table, appraising Harlock. “Want to go back in time? You could stop the events that lead to the Shrouded Isles disappearing. Or something.”

Harlock looked at Inien. It was almost like she had already planned all this out, like she knew Harlock would come and ask her about this. “What's the catch?”

“There is no catch. I simply don't like this world. I want a new one. And you want your parents back. It's win-win.” Inien held out her hands to her side. “So what do you say?”

“This is really sudden. I don't know what to say.” Harlock thought for a moment. She really had nothing to lose. There was nothing left for her in this world. “Okay, I'll do it.” Harlock clenched her fist, thinking of Kyr for just a moment, “What do I have to do?” 

The smile widened on Inien’s face, as she moved around the table to sit next to Harlock. Inien put an arm around her shoulder, “Alright, here's the plan…”


End file.
